Despite significant advancements in nanowire growth techniques and device descriptions, establishment of electrical contacts to nanowire assemblies through non-destructive methods has not been successfully realized. The commonly employed method involves physically removing nanowires from the sample, dispersing them in solution, and transferring them onto another surface containing probe pads, and depositing contact electrodes onto individual nanowires through some form of lithography. Such a series of steps are not only destructive, but also expensive and tedious.
Another method described in the literature involves burying the nanowire array in an insulating matrix such as spin-on glass or polystyrene, followed by plasma etching to expose the nanowire tips. However, this approach prevents access to the surface of the nanowires, which would be necessary for applications like gas sensing.